Arlington, Texas — The United States Postal Service (USPS) has awarded Siemens a $45.3 million development contract to update its existing video processing system for letter mail. The contract will culminate in field trials of the system and runs through October 2008.
The new Remote Encoding System (RES) will integrate the video and image processing of different USPS systems that support the automatic interpretation of the addresses on letters.
Siemens also developed the USPS legacy Image Processing Sub-System (IPSS). Deployed in the early 1990’s, the original system reached its end of life and will need to be replaced, according to a USPS evaluation.
“After the great success story of the IPSS predecessor system, the RES award showcases our commitment to technology innovation and program life-cycle support,” said Lukas Loeffler, Vice President, Postal Automation Division of Siemens in the U.S. “We are pleased to continue a strong partnership with the USPS by developing the most sophisticated image management and control solution in the industry.”
RES will establish the infrastructure for the future integration of letters, flats and package image processing. With the most advanced coding technology in the industry, RES will enhance and simplify the management and processing of mail images. The system has the ability to process nearly eight billion images annually. Its open architecture will allow for future extensions.
A major benefit of RES for the USPS is the combination of its letter coding technology with the Siemens Postal Address Redirection System (PARS), which the USPS is currently deploying throughout its network. This will enable the USPS to manage and maintain a single system for all letter image processing tasks.
About Siemens
Siemens Postal Automation, a division of the Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group, is a global market leader in mail sorting, reading and coding as well as parcel and freight handling solutions. In the U.S., Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. represents the I&S Group within Siemens AG. I&S is the systems and solutions integrator for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation and operation across the entire life cycle. I&S uses its own products, systems and process technologies to enhance productivity and improve the competitiveness of companies in metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, airport logistics, postal automation, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services. In fiscal 2005, I&S employed a total of 31,700 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 5.390 billion. For more information, please visit www.sea.siemens.com or www.industry.siemens.com.
Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. is one of Siemens' operating companies in the U.S. Headquartered in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, Ga., Siemens Energy & Automation manufactures and markets one of the world`s broadest ranges of electrical and electronic products, systems and services to industrial and construction market customers. Its technologies range from circuit protection and energy management systems to process control, industrial software and totally integrated automation solutions. The company also has expertise in systems integration, technical services and turnkey industrial systems. For more information: www.sea.siemens.com.
Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $96 billion in fiscal 2005. Founded nearly 160 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $18.8 billion and employs 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens` worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 460,000 people in 190 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com.